Familiy Secrets: Love Conquers All
by FeltonFan988
Summary: Lily Potter returns to Hogwarts as a 4th year and her dreams come true when  Patrick Finnegan asks her to the dance. However,knowing little about her family legend, trouble seems to be underway when a new class; Hogwarts History is introduced.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

"WOOT, WOOT" The train at platform 9 ¾ pierced through the cacophony of frantic parents and enthusiastic students, ready to return for another year at Hogwarts.

"C'mon Lily!" Cried Albus through the billows of smoke.

" We don't want to miss the train, now do we?"

"Albus, we've got 15 minutes and we're already through the gate, what's the hurry?"

I replied.

"It's because he can't wait to spend the whole train ride snogging with Cassie Chang"

James retorted.

Faking a gasp I exclaimed,

"Who would've ever thought

our own Albus Potter, parent's favorite, teacher's pet, Mr. SmartyPants..has a girlfriend!"

"Oh shut up, you two!" Albus said while tugging James' ears.

I laughed to myself as I watched my two brothers playfully quarrel. But really, Cassie Chang? Hmmph, he might as well be a bloke snogging a platypus with those huge lips of hers. Blushing from my rude remark, I ran right into Patrick Finnegan.

"Oh! H-h-h-hiiiiii Patrick." I stammered. I'd had a ginormous crush on Patrick since I was a first year. The infatuation had only gotten worse over the past 3 years.

"Ello Lily, how are you?"

"Haha mighty fine, I must say."

Patrick grinned, his chocolate brown eyes lit up in doing so. A cool breeze gently ruffled his russet hair and I let out a wistful sigh. He acknowledged my parents.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Potter!" My mum and dad smiled. Harry; my dad said,

"Nice to see you Patrick! Tell Seamus and Lavender I said Hi!"

"I definitely will Mr. Potter! My parents never stop talking about you!"

"Well, want to share a train booth with me?" he asked.

My stomach flipped, I wanted to more than anything in the whole world. Keeping my cool, I spoke in a suave tone,

"Sure, why not? Just let me tell Albus and James to follow along…Hey! Albus, Ja-"

"Erm, Lily? Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against those brothers of yours, but I was hoping we could have a train booth to ourselves?"

"Oh..heh", I said, quite taken aback by his words. Shaking my head, I quickly replied, "ooof course" dragging out the "o" for sarcastic effect.

Using my loudest voice, I shouted back,

"Nevermind!" Albus spotted Patrick standing by my side and raised an eyebrow as if to say, "Be careful". I stuck my tongue out at him. Very mature, Lily, very mature.

Patrick and I boarded the train; I took the window seat while he sat down on the opposite side. Waving out the window as the train set into motion, I blew a kiss to my mum and dad. Dad seemed to be trying to say something, but I couldn't hear him. He tried again,

"Lily! I must tell you, Albus and James something extremely important! I'll write you once you get there, be expecting the owl!"

"Alright! Goodbye!" I said.

My mother and father bid the train one last farewell and left with the mob of parents. Blending into the crowd until I couldn't distinguish them from the rest.

"I wonder what he wants to tell us", I said.

"Maybe it's because Hogwarts is introducing a new class required for 4th years and above." Patrick suggested.

"Oh? And what is that?"

"Hogwarts History", he replied.

"Why would my father be worried about such a class? Don't they already have a History of Magic class?" I wondered aloud.

Patrick expressed a look of concern, "Well, this class is supposed to be dedicated to just Hogwarts History…Wait, your mum and dad haven't told you?"

"Told me what?" What could my parents possibly be hiding from me?

"Lily, I'm afraid that spilling your family's secrets is not my job."

"Yes, I understand. I'm just troubled by the fact that my father has been keeping a secret from his kids for what? 16, 17 years?"

I remained silent for the duration of the trip. Sure, I felt bad for making things awkward between Patrick and me but my father's words kept nagging at the back of my head. I couldn't be at peace until I discovered what he was keeping from us.

Let's just say, it was the longest train ride of my life.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2:

The whole lot of us arrived at Hogsmeade a tad bit early around dusk. Patrick made many attempts to start up a conversation during the boat ride to the castle but I was in no mood. Just like every year before, everyone, with the exception of the first years entered the Great Hall. As the students piled in robe after robe, the professors and Headmistress McGonagall were enthralled in a heated discussion.

"We simply cannot educate the students of you-know-who, they will cease to accept the fact that he does not exist anymore! We shouldn't scare them!" shrieked Professor Longbottom, still sporting his herbology lab coat.

"The children deserve the right to know of our past, the dangers of horcruxes. Do we want history to repeat itself?" hissed Professor Lovegood, the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher.

Just then, McGonagall whispered,

"Shhush Luna! The students have arrived!"

The headmistress turned around, she had aged even more over the summer; the wrinkles that stretched across her face had deepened greatly. Her thin body looked so fragile that it seemed as if it could break at any given moment.

"Ahh", she sighed with great joy.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts, we will commence the Sorting Hat Ceremony any moment now. Go ahead and take a seat at your designated house tables."

There was a shuffling of feet and swishing of robes and everyone was in their seats. The mahogany doors of the Great Hall opened with a loud CREAK and the newbies stumbled in, gaping at the translucent ceiling and staring at the crumpled, wrinkly sorting hat.

The first student to go was a so-called "pure-blood" named Penelope Harrow.

"Rumors say her mum was a Slytherin prefect; Pansy Parkinson, I believe." whispered Patrick.

Before the hat even touched her dark head of hair he declared,

"Sssslytherin!" The Slytherin table erupted with applause as she ran in their direction with a large smirk painted across her face.

Penelope was followed by many Gryffindors and Slytherins along with the occasional "Hufflepuff!" or "Ravenclaw!".

"Attention, attention!" McGonagall's voice wavered as she declared,

"This year, we will be adding a new course: Hogwarts History to the curriculum that is mandatory for all students in their 4th year and older to take."

"Pffffft rubbish, and Hogwarts History is soooo interesting. This is my 7th year for goodness sake, give me a rest!" muttered James as he banged his head against the table.

The old and weary headmistress declared,

"James Sirius Potter, if nothing good can come out of that mouth of yours you might as well keep it shut."

James turned the color of a tomato as the rest of Hogwarts glared at him.

McGonagall announced,

"Without further ado, let the feast..BEGIN!"

This had always been my favorite part of returning to Hogwarts every year. Heaping plates of food filled the tables and pumpkin juice appeared in the goblets. A sudden jolt traveled through my shoulders as someone pinched them. Ready to slap the culprit as I turned around, I squealed,

"Rosie!"

"Ohh, Lily, darling where were you at the platform? I couldn't find you!"

I jerked my head toward Patrick and raised my eyebrows.

Rose laughed and flipped her auburn hair,

"Blimey! You've got yourself a good-looking one this time! 10 times better than Tim Goyle."

I smirked,

"Says the girl that is going out with her dad's arch nemesis."

"Well excuse me, but Scorpius is not my dad's enemy, his father Draco is." Rosie scoffed as she waved to Scorpius on the other end of the Gryffindor table.

"I assume I will see you in the dormitories on time today and not spending the night with the boy in a broom cupboard?" I gave Rose a hinting wink.

Blushing until her cheeks were redder than her hair, Rose nodded, gave me a hug and walked briskly back to her seat by Scorpius. I leaned my head on Patrick's shoulder and sighed,

"What are we going to do with her? She's as wild and untamed as her frizzy, red, hair."

"Well, I say you let her make her own mistakes. After all, Scorpius is a pretty decent fellow." Patrick said as he wrapped his arm around me.

"I dunno, I just worry about her."

He smiled with sincerity, "Silly Lily, we all worry about her. Now, I really think you need some rest. You're as pale as a ghost, feeling alright?"

I shook my head, feeling quite dizzy and feverish. I retired to the Gryffindor Commons room earlier than the others with Patrick. He looked into my eyes and spoke in a gentle voice,

"I have an important question for you. Will you g-g-go to the dance with me?" His subtle Irish accent melted my heart as a smile worked its way to my mouth.

"Well it's about time!" I beamed from ear to ear.

He looked relieved.

I flung my arms around him and gave him a peck on the cheek.

I mused, "I can't wait!"

"Haha. Alrighty then, see ya tomorrow." He chuckled.

I practically floated up the stairs to the girl's dormitories. Is this what Cloud 9 feels like? Maybe this year wouldn't be half as bad. Right then, I heard a voice. The voice sent chills down my spine as it whispered, "Alas, Lily Potter, I have found you and I will kill you once more." I screamed and Patrick clambered up the stairs panting,

"What's wrong?"

"Oh..um. Nothing, I-er saw a spider."

On second thought, there really is no such thing as a normal year at Hogwarts.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3:

That night I dreamed of snakes. Well, technically just one snake. If you ask me, seeing a gigantic snake kill someone in your sleep is never a good sign. In the dream, the serpent was able to talk. But it didn't make sense, how could I possibly be able to communicate with snakes? Only a parselmouth could do that and I am completely positive I do not speak parsel tongue. Unless- no. It can't be. Disturbed by my unusual nightmare, I sprinted down the stairs and into the common room. Albus and James were already there.

"Golly Lil, you sounded like a bloody elephant coming down those stairs." Said James with a bemused expression.

Huffing and puffing, I managed to croak out between raggedy breaths,

"I. Had. A. Nightmare."

Albus gaped at me with his mouth wide open,

"Perchance, was this dream about a snake named-"

"Nagini!" cried James.

The three of us looked at each other with bewilderment.

"Okay, so we had the same dream, now what?" I asked.

"Ouch!" I cried out in pain as a searing ache soared through my forehead. When I opened my eyes, James and Al were massaging their temples. James broke the silence with a clear of his throat. Gently patting our shoulders, he motioned us towards the door.

"We'll talk about this after breakfast. Pip pip cheerio."

"I don't think I've ever seen someone work so hard to not take anything seriously." Al exclaimed.

"The name says it all." I joked.

"Hmmph." Albus harrumphed.

"James Sirius Potter."

I told Albus I didn't have much of an appetite and headed off to class first. I'd forgotten about Dad's important message and by the time I realized it, I was just too lazy to return to the Great Hall. My footsteps plodded up the staircase and I entered the classroom only to find McGonagall.

"Good morning Headmistress McGonagall! What are you doing here?" I inquired.

"I am the all-around expert on Hogwarts History, who better than me to teach this class?" she said.

Embarrassed by my stupid question, I took the desk in the center of the front row. Patrick ambled in from the corridor and sat down in the seat next to mine. The rest of the class sauntered in and McGonagall began the lecture. I braced myself to withstand another boring speech about history but instead, she said two words: _Harry Potter. _I was shocked, had I heard her right? What did my father have to do with any of this? McGonagall proceeded,

"Harry Potter was the boy who lived. He is the only person to have survived the killing curse. His parents James Potter and Lily Potter were murdered by Voldemort and gave their lives for him. However, Harry weakened Voldemort when he survived." Everyone was staring at James, Albus and I.

"As Harry moved through his years at Hogwarts, Voldemort attempted to gain back his power and finish what he had started, which was to kill Harry. Voldemort was closest to doing so in Harry's 7th year during the Battle of Hogwarts. Harry did indeed, die for a moment. Miraculously, he came back to life and finished Voldemort once and for all." I felt woozy and lightheaded. This could not be happening. And right then, I fainted with a THUMP.

"Ohhhh", I moaned as I opened my eyes. Patrick, Albus, James and McGonagall were crowded around me. Albus was ghostly pale and James looked like he was about to hurl.

"I'll carry her to the hospital wing, Professor McGonagall." Patrick volunteered.

"Very well, off you go."

Patrick scooped me into his arms but we didn't go to Madame Pomfrey. Instead, he set me down on one of the benches in the outdoor courtyard.

Confused and a bit disoriented I demanded,

"Patrick what—" I didn't get to finish my question for Patrick had interrupted me with a kiss.

He broke away,

"There, feel better?"

I gushed, "Loads better!"

"You see, your family's story is legendary, Lily. It's about how love conquers all." said Patrick. I hesitated,

"But what if I don't live up to my father's legend? I don't want the pressure. I'm already a failure as it is and Voldemort, what if he returns?"

"No, Lily, you are your own legacy. Don't allow others to compare you to anyone else. Voldemort is dead, gone down with history and as long as you are yourself, you will never, ever be a failure." Patrick's eyes glistened with sincerity. He wiped away a teardrop as it slid down my cheek. Walking through the dewy grass and linked arm in arm with Patrick, I couldn't help but admire my father.

"My dad really is one of a kind, isn't he?" I admitted.

"No doubt about it." Patrick ruffled my hair. I laughed and did the same. Things couldn't get better. But then again, everything that goes up must come down. Or in Robert Frost's words; nothing gold can stay.


End file.
